An ignition system with dual spark coils is known from European Patent Application No. EP 0 200 196 A2, wherein a spark plug is associated with each end of a secondary winding. The number of ignition coils is equal to the number of cylinders, since two spark plugs are associated with each cylinder and these spark plugs are attached to different ignition coils. As a result, the ignition coils must be controlled simultaneously in pairs. Hence, two ignition coil is are controlled to ignite the mixture in the prior art, so that the spark plugs located in the cylinder in question are triggered. The two spark plugs connected at the other end of the secondary winding of the two dual spark coils must be arranged so that this cylinder is in the exhaust stroke and hence does not undergo ignition, since it does not contain an ignitable mixture. This design of an ignition system with dual spark coils, however, has the disadvantage that an equal number of spark plugs and cylinders is required. In addition, the number of end stages must correspond to the number of cylinders, which increases the cost of the circuit.
In addition, in this ignition system a relatively large expenditure is required to control the individual end stages.
Similarly, ignition systems for dual ignition are known in which an individual ignition coil is associated with each spark plug, so that the number of ignition coils and end stages is twice the number of cylinders. It is also possible to equip ignition systems for dual ignition with rotary distribution, for example with two ignition coils and with two distributors. In this case, the high mechanical expense is particularly disadvantageous.